OSCILLOSINE
Almost as though it was found in the back of a damp garage after decades of neglect, Hollow Sun has created Oscillosine. Reminiscent of an oddball inventor's strange homebrew creation, Oscillosine is designed to conjour the sights, sounds and smells of a 1940s experimenter's laboratory... glowing valves, otherworldly audio and maybe a hint of pipe tobacco.
The samples for Oscillosine are taken from a vintage tube Hewlett
Packard sine wave test oscillator estimated to date back to the 50s
or 60s, maybe earlier.
Oscillosine uses Kontakt's advanced modular synthesis facilities to
create a compact sonic laboratory machine capable of producing authentic
sci-fi and vintage electronica blips and bleeps and klings and klangs and drones and squeals as well
as smooth pads, solid sub-basses, mellow leadlines, etc., suitable for
more modern musical genres.
The user interface is modelled on an old Tektronics oscilloscope and
might look a bit inscrutable and arcane at first but is actually quite simple.
On the other hand, its rather non-standard layout encourages
experimentation and serendipity to create sounds that are maybe
unimaginable. It's certainly great fun to play with.
It features a valve driven sine wave oscillator offering a few variations which are shown on the CRT and can be modulated by a multi-wave LFO providing simultaneous sine, ramp, random and a variable width rectangle or pulse waveforms and all the waveforms can be mixed to create a wide range of control waveshapes that can be applied to pitch and/or amplitude. For example....
With careful settings, it's possible to create pseudo-arpeggios and sequences but otherwise, it's possible to create sounds that could have come from a VCS3 or Buchla or from the soundtrack of the 50's movie, 'Forbidden Planet' ... warm, organic and temperental and unpredictable sounds.
There are also ring mod and FM functions to create discordant sounds which can be modulated and mangled by the multi-wave LFO and so on. The possibilities are almost endless.
But if you're bit timid or unsure, don't worry - there's a drop-down to select from a wide variety of preset sounds to get you started. You can also save your own 'User' presets for the drop down.
Furthermore, the EFFECTS page gives access to 3-band EQ, a chorus unit, phase shifter, rotary cabinet and echo unit to transform the sounds further. These feed into a convolving reverb unit which, amongst many others, offers vintage spring reverb impulses for a truly authentic retro sound.
The more voices (or notes) the thing tries to play, the circuitry seems to strain slightly and the valves glow brighter which is visible through the front panel aperture.
Oscillosine offers serious abstract synthesis for the adventurous to bring something different to your productions whilst also providing more conventional sounds for more mainstream work.
For safety reasons, be sure to wear a white lab coat when operating
Oscillosine.
CREDITS |
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Samples |
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Atomic Shadow |
Scriptmeister |
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Mario Krušelj |
Programming |
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Hollow Sun |
GUI design |
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Hollow Sun |
Graphics |
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Hollow Sun |
Audio Demos |
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Bobbotov |
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Age Of Audio |
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Atomic Shadow |
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Kontakt 4.2.2 full version
Windows® XP (SP2, 32bit) / Vista® (32/64 Bit), Windows 7® (32/64 Bit), Pentium® or Athlon XP 1.4 GHz, 2 GB RAM
Mac OS® X 10.5 or higher, Intel® Core™ Duo 1.8 GHz, 2 GB RAM
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NOTE : It will work with the Kontakt Player but only in 'demo' mode and the session will be time limited. |
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This Kontakt instrument uses samples from a vintage Hewlett Packard sine tone generator. An odd choice, perhaps, but the results aren't as pristine as modern digital synths and when coupled with LFOs, effects, envelopes, etc., it makes perfect sense. Think classic sci-fi blips and rich sub tones. With plenty of tweaking options at such a low price, it's hard to fault.
Just purchased Oscillosine, I've always been purely into analog synths but recently started mucking about with Kontakt, still wasn't convinced, then I saw ansd bought Oscillosine. I'm in love!! Amazing!!! Can't believe how good it is!!!
Thanks again, glad to have found your amazing gear, and I look forward to delving deeper into your universe.
Beano - Sun Machine
Oscillosine is just great. I am so looking forward to losing precious hours of my life experimenting this little baby. I have a quiet love of vintage electronic music and now I can truly satisfy this particular musical festish with some gusto
Neil Fellowes - Geigertek
I got Oscillosine last night and I have to say what a great job in putting this together. It is original and extremely well thought out and fills a much needed place in my set of synths.
I look forward to anything else you come up with along this vein of experimental, vintage equipment.
Bobbotov - KVR
think it's wonderful that someone seems to be using the scripting ability in Kontakt to create a custom instrument. There are enough multi-GB piano and string libraries already. Something unique and a bit off the beaten path is very good thing.
Biffraff - Synthtopia
I tested it a lot, it's awesome! I just made a little review (only italian, for now), and I prepared two audio demos using only sounds from Oscillosine.
Ageofaudio I honestly can't remember when I've seen such incredible bang for the buck!!
Capnlockheed - KVR
no-brainer, thanks steve!
pwal/potter - KVR
i snapped these up straight away.
best £7.5 ... something:?: i've spent.
Neil Austin - Deccan Traps
Allow me again to state what a bargain this is.
It's HIGHLY usable and a ton of fun! (not to mention the service is fab)
Hibidy - KVR
This is definitely the best looking plug in ever...
Kelvyn - KVR
I think this is probably the best Kontakt library I have. It's the most interesting. I lost an entire afternoon just playing with it and it feels more like a real synth.
Can't wait to see what you have planned for next. I'm buying whatever it is.
Petri - via email
$8? Are you mad? Add a 0 or mebbe two. LOL
Im not complainng tho LOL. Great pricing
Jim - via iPhone
Oscillosine goes to the very roots of modern synthesis; before the minimoog, etc. there were unsung individuals experimenting in basements with the most arcane of audio test equipment and Reel-to-Reel Tape Decks....
I bought both of these HollowSun softs the day that they were released; now I have software versions of the minimoog's Great-Grandmother and Grandfather in my collection.
Standalone - KVR |
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